New toys for the camera!

This wedding-planning stuff is hard!
Fortunately, I have new camera-related toys to distract me :)
    On Cyber Monday (which seems like it was eons ago) I was sitting around at my parents' house, bored. So I did what any bored person with computer access would do... I went on Amazon.com to check out the deals. I really didn't think I needed/wanted anything, and was only really intending to browse, but then, I remembered something that I actually did need! Well, perhaps not need, but something super useful.
    See, when I got my new camera, it came as a package with a bunch of other things: hdmi cable, zoom lense, and a carrying case. The carrying case that the camera came with is HUGE. It was clearly intended for serious photography use, with the capacity to hold not only the camera, but up to 4 extra lenses and all the accessories I could ever think of (which I hadn't even thought of yet). Anyways, the point is that it was just way too big! I mean, it's great for those days when I go out specifically to take photos. But for those times when I want to bring it along just for casual use (parties or the like), it was just too cumbersome.
    So, that brings me to my Cyber Monday search. I searched around for about an hour, trying to find a bag that would be compact, yet still hold my camera plus a few accessories, and durable, and would be easy to carry about. I ended up ordering a Vangoddy "Laurel" DSLR case in sky blue. It is perfect for my needs! It's small and looks a bit like a mini lunch box with a shoulder strap. It opens up on both sides, one for the camera compartment, and the other has small pouches for accessories/cords/batteries etc. Can't fit my extra lens, but that usually isn't a problem). Perfect! So I scroll down to check out, and notice the little scroll for "Customers who bought this item also bought.." Before I knew it, I had about four more things in my shopping cart. Fortunately, most were on super sale and fairly cheap! I ended up buying...



* the bag

* extra camera battery
* set of magnification lenses (gives illusion of macro lens)
* accessory kit which includes:
    * tulip lens hood
    * cleaning cloth
    * center-pinch lens cap (so much easier to grip)
    * cap-keeper (to keep the cap attached to camera body)
    * filter kit:
        * UV filter (for sharper contrast outdoors)
        * Florescent filter (for better color quality under florescent lighting)
        * Polarizer filter (supposedly eliminates reflections on non-metal surfaces, such as glass).




    I haven't really had much opportunity to fiddle with the filters yet (but am definitely excited to), but the bag has already proved to be VERY useful, and I've been having fun with the magnification lenses.
    Just as a quick example to show the effects of the magnification lens, I took a photo of clovers. The photo on the left is taken with just my camera, and demonstrates the closest I can get with my camera alone. The photo on the right is taken using the 10X magnification lens.

    Pretty darn cool, right?? Well, I think so, anyways. And it'll definitely get a lot of use, since I absolutely LOVE taking close up shots. In the future, I'll see if I can take some photographs to show off the effects of the other lenses and filters. But, for now, I've got a bit of cleaning to do around the apartment before I can finish my Christmas decorating.. which reminds me, there will definitely be a Christmas-y post coming soon ;)